Intel Commences 32 nm Chip Production

[btarunr]

Intel's foundries have commenced mass production of the company's first processors based on the 32 nm second generation high-K metal gate (HKMG) technologies. With these the company's next-generation Westmere architecture becomes retail-grade. The first products will include dual-core processors compatible with the recently introduced socket LGA-1156 platforms, and will carry the brand identifiers (and model number schemes) Core i5 600 series, Core i3 500 series, and Pentium dual-core series.

The desktop-grade parts are based on the "Clarkdale" core, and notebook-grade ones "Arrandale". The latter will be introduced first among the two, with the first Arrandale chips slated for Q4 2009, while the desktop chips arrive a little later in Q1 2010. Intel will focus on this transition to the Westmere architecture in the upcoming Intel Developer Forum event.

Source: PCMAG

[lemonadesoda]

They went straight to 32nm. Impressive. After 45nm there was a possibility they would go 37/38nm as a half way house. (As GPUs are doing).

Looking forward to some low power cool processors in 2010.

[btarunr]

For GPUs it's 28 nm after 40 nm, IIRC.

[lemonadesoda]

IIRC, GPU's tend to do both "tick" and "tock" die shrinks (smaller steps, e.g. 55nm to 45nm to 40nm then 35nm before 28nm), whereas CPUs tend to have a larger jump (factor of 2 in area, alternatively think of it as factor 2 in length every 2 steps, 120nm, 90nm, 65nm, 45nm, 32nm) as a result of changing process technologies.

[btarunr]

No GPUs on 45 nm. At least TSMC doesn't have any 45 nm bulk node that I know of, I could be wrong.

[lemonadesoda]

Sorry, may have the numbers wrong... didnt look them up and it isnt something I've been trying to actively remember. Perhaps it was 65nm to 55nm for GPUs?

Perhaps I should just call it "nodes" and "half-nodes" and forget the numbers. GPU's send to die shrink over half-nodes whereas CPUs tend to process shrink over nodes.

?

[Assimilator]

CPUs went from 65nm to 45nm to 32nm.
GPUs went from 65nm to 55nm to 40nm.

28nm as the next shrink for GPUs sounds right - but it will be a while before they get there, considering how painful the 40nm migration has been.

[OnBoard]

32nm quads might be good, waiting for those. Hoping something like 65nm dual~32nm quad, in wattage.

[EarlZ]

When can we expect a 32nm i7-like quadcore ( i920 ) to hit the market, and will intel release a new chipset for it like the 35 to 45 ?

[btarunr]

Originally Posted by EarlZ

When can we expect a 32nm i7-like quadcore ( i920 ) to hit the market, and will intel release a new chipset for it like the 35 to 45 ?

It think following "Gulftown" Core i9, after Q2 2010.

[wolf]

32nm awesome, can't wait.

Seems like just yesterday we were at 130-180nm.....

[Chad Boga]

Originally Posted by EarlZ

When can we expect a 32nm i7-like quadcore ( i920 ) to hit the market, and will intel release a new chipset for it like the 35 to 45 ?

You are going to have to wait till either Q4 2010 or Q1 2011 when Sandy Bridge comes out.

Intel is going to be using 32nm on Hex Core and Dual Core.

Pisses me off no end.